A Voice in the Shadows
by kdzl
Summary: When JJ's stalker decides to claim his prize, how will the team protect their favorite media liason? JJ/Hotch
1. Chapter 1

**_AN/ I still don't own Criminal Minds, and while it pains me to say this, I doubt I ever will._**

**_I know I've already done a stalker story, but this was too tempting to resist. _****_This takes place after 'Big Wheel'. I feel no guilt in insinuating that Will and JJ are no longer together, because Will hasn't appeared in forever and he isn't on the casting list for the rest of the season._**

**_Prompt: "The best way out is always through."--Ralph Waldo Emmerson_**

* * *

There she was; the lovely nymph who had eluded him for so long. As he thumbed through the channels, he found her. He smiled as her sweet, dazzling face feigned anger at the crimes of another. JJ was passionate. He loved her for her indigence at the death of the inferior. One day she would understand the truth about art and what he and the men she called 'unsubs' were doing, but for now she was ignorant. He would forgive her of course; he couldn't hold his beloved to a standard she didn't understand. She would soon be taught and then they there would be no more obstacles in their way.

He longed for the world where they could be together; He and his Jennifer in perfect matrimony, living flawlessly and effortlessly together as she became his pupil. She understood him in ways that no one else ever could. As she spoke the description of a child killer, her face contorted in anger, describing the heinous psyche of the man she was trying to find. She however, wouldn't find his gifts for her vile, he was sure of it. What that man was doing to those little boys was out of a mere, primal compulsion; what he had done was different. It was done out of love and devotion to the only person who mattered, one day, Jennifer would thank him for it.

"Our unsub is in the age range of 30 to 45. We ask…" He felt his heart flutter at her saccharine voice. He would have his Jennifer. He would have her, no man, deity or natural disaster could keep him from taking what was his. It was time his beloved knew about her silent, guardian angel and found her way to him.

* * *

"Not again." JJ groaned as she saw the coffee machine was empty. She loved Spence, but if forgot to refill it one more time, there was going to be a murder.

"What is it this time?" A voice behind her chuckled. She swore Hotch was always laughing at her, she just didn't know whether it was a good thing or not.

"You've got to talk to Reid about the coffee machine." She commanded. "Or the next time Garcia tries to bludgeon him, I won't stop her."

Hotch rolled his eyes at the idea. "JJ, it's just coffee, let it go." To an outward observer, this could be construed as him being serious, since not one aspect of his face or voice indicated otherwise. But JJ knew the truth, Hotch had a sense of humor, he was just the first to hide it. He had carefully perfected his craft of never letting his feelings show and sarcasm was just part of the barrel.

"Let it go?" JJ shook her head at the irony. "You're one to talk." If JJ knew how to hold a grudge, it was her boss who had taught it to her. This definitely was one scenario of the pot calling the kettle black.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Hotch countered, reaching over her to grab a new filter and placing it where it needed to be.

"That guy in Internal Affairs stole your parking spot once, and you still hate the entire unit." She retorted.

"I don't hate them for that; I hate them for trying to undermine me and get Garcia fired." Hotch rationalized as he pushed the start button and dark liquid began to flow.

"You hated them before." JJ said, glad to see she wouldn't be coffee-less. "That just increased things."

He grabbed her cup from her hand and poured her some joy as he tried to suppress a laugh. JJ had no problem fighting with him, like everyone else on the team with an exception to Reid, but with her it was different. When she fought with him, it felt more euphoric than actual bickering. "See, that wasn't so hard." He said, handing her the mug.

"It's more the principle of the thing." JJ blushed, hoping that he would understand. She took the obligatory sip, making sure that it was perfect for what her day held. Sure enough, Hotch, as he had with everything else in his life, had done it right.

"Sure it is." He muttered sarcastically, his mouth never breaking into a smile. "It has nothing to do with your inexplicable caffeine addiction and the withdrawal symptoms you get when you go two hours without it."

"I am no worse than Emily when she doesn't get her chocolate." JJ bit out.

"Emily we can convince to try to think rationally for twenty minutes without it. No one has the audacity to try that with you." He said as he took a sip of his own bitter liquid.

"I won't even justify that with a response." JJ teased.

"Suit yourself."

JJ bit back a smile as she walked to her office. While playful banter wasn't normally Hotch's thing, when he did it with her, it left her feeling full inside. She knew that this was nothing in the grand scheme of things, he cared for her as his employee, someone he had a responsibility towards and nothing more. But with Will gone, any interaction she had with the stoic unit chief was very much appreciated.

As she opened the door, she saw a small package on her desk. She looked it over quickly, failing to notice its lack of post mark. She shook it absent-mindedly, wondering what it contained. She didn't hear much; just a soft padding hit the edges of the box. As she grabbed her scissors and opened it, she was stunned at what she found.

Rose Petals. Hundreds of blood red rose petals. Instantly, she felt odd. She wasn't seeing anyone, there wasn't anybody who she could think of who would send her this. She sifted through the box, not noticing the small piece of paper that fell to the ground containing only two words.

_My Darling._

She wondered if it had been Will who had sent it to her. While they ended on what had been far from the best of terms, maybe he was apologizing. But the breakup had been so absolute; she couldn't fathom him trying now. Also, nameless gifts had never been Will's style, he had always wanted credit for every tiny thing he ever did. She knew it wasn't him.

She decided that whatever this box meant, she could worry about it later. There were cases to review and serial killers to catch and this wasn't even a blip on the radar. She pushed the box aside and easily forgot about it.

* * *

His Jennifer had seen his gift. He was ever so grateful for the window in her office as he peered in and watched her reaction.

He tried to hide his fury at the man who had given his Jennifer her coffee. Aaron Hotchner wasn't a threat; he knew that, he and his Jennifer had gone through too much together to be torn apart by the imbecile. But he would not tolerate behavior like that in the future. The next time Agent Hotchner tried to seduce his beloved, he would pay.

He and Jennifer belonged together, and no one would stop that. This was just the beginning of the beautiful plot to bring his muse into his arms. Once he had her, she would never be alone again.

* * *

**_An2/ Feel free to drop a review and let me know what you thought. I really would like to know._**

**_I have plenty of other material for the QuoteLyric Prompt Challange--Stay tuned!_**


	2. Chapter 2

**_An/ Thanks for everyone who reviewed, alerted, enjoyed, or even read this story. You're awesome and very much appreciated. _****_Here's the next installment; I hope you like it!_**

**_I do not own Criminal Minds._**

* * *

She was as always, lovely. He noticed that immediately upon meeting her, though time would cause it to evolve further. She was his Jennifer. His beloved, wonderful Jennifer. No one would stop their love. He would die before he let someone hurt her.

He carefully waited outside of her house, watching as she gracefully ran to her car to grab her phone. It hadn't been an easy task to break into her house and steal her phone, then place it in her vehicle so that she would have to come get it, but with the sight of her, the tedious work became worth every moment of it. He saw as she grabbed her son's small toy off the lawn where the boy had carelessly dropped it.

Her son, the sign of the betrayal that he had forgiven her for. Jennifer had made a mistake with that southern simpleton, and she would in fact pay for that one day with her tears. When he had watched her pick up a pregnancy and then see her doctor, his heart had almost broken. She was his Jennifer, not some fool's who had impregnated her. It had taken all of his self control not to end this game for once and for all, ending his beloved's pain before it began. But he had abstained from his blood lust and let her live. Now, he was glad he had.

William had left as he knew he would. JJ had been a silly woman for thinking that she could change that rats nature. Will would suffer for the tears he made the wonderful Jennifer cry, he would make sure of it. With him out of the way, it had been difficult to not snuff the life out of the only reminder of that treacherous relationship. But his Jennifer loved that child, and so Henry would live off the coattails of his mother. He knew that he could learn to care for the child if given the chance, though their own children would remain superior. He had a nice spot in the basement where the boy could stay as he grew older. He would allow that in the name of love.

Jennifer was just too trusting, and Will had taken advantage of it. Will would pay soon, all that was needed---His violent, obsessive thoughts lost their caustic commentary once his beloved did something that lifted his heart. She looked behind her, almost as if she sensed his presence. They were soul mates, and these tiny moments when Jennifer knew she was being watched were just one more sign of the inevitability of their love.

* * *

"Henry?" JJ panted, not expecting her son to answer since the only word he knew was 'mama' and he rarely used it. "There you are." She smiled, picking him up from the floor where he had been crawling wildly.

She gave her son a gentle squeeze, not sure why. She always had a feeling of not being alone--she assumed it came with the job. But recently, the domestic worry was getting closer and closer to home. She tried to brush it off as just paranoia since Will had left, but she could never fully purge the fear from her mind.

She knew it was silly, but she couldn't stand to be alone with her thoughts. She hurried and flicked on her television, indifferent of what was on. She needed noise more than anything. Something to drown out her irrational fears.

Deciding that she was just being silly, since she felt like this through out her entire life, she turned her attention the files on the coffee table. The unsubs recently decided to take a sharp upswing from their usual rate. She had more cases piling on her desk than ever before.

She picked the first one up, opening it carefully. There was nothing remarkable about the case, a single white male in his early thirties was stabbed repeatedly in his North Carolina home, no similarities to any other local murders. Sadly, it didn't look like there was anything they could do to help, especially since there had only been one murder. Just before closing the file, the name of the victim jumped out at her. _Damien Carlisle. _"Why does that sound familiar?" She mused as she reopened the file to check. Not recognizing the man, she closed the file once more. Never thinking of the childhood bully that had tormented her through her younger years.

_FLASHBACK_

_"No! She can't play, she's got cooties!" Damien Carlisle was the meanest boy that JJ knew on the playground. He was so mean, and this was only her second day back at school since Johnny went away._

_"I do not!" JJ insisted. Even at seven, she hated being called the boyish nickname bestowed on her by her oldest brother. Now she vowed that she would never go by anything else._

_"Come on Damien, let her play. She's real good." Brad Johnson defended. _

_All JJ wanted to do was to play soccer. She and her brothers played soccer all the time, and they never said she had cooties._

_"It's my ball. She can't play." Damien insisted._

_"Fine. Then I won't play either." Brad said defiantly and walked off the small soccer field at the elementary school._

_"Or me." Matt Price agreed running after his friend Brad. "Come on, we can all play basketball."_

_"Yeah." JJ said as she stuck her tongue out at Damien. Not realizing the adult watching from the other side of the chain linked fence._

_

* * *

_He watched as she sat lazily on her couch, though even when his Jennifer was relaxing, she was working. That would be something to stop when they were finally together, his beloved would finally leave that awful job with the FBI. That was the only thing that him and that pervert William had in common, their want for Jennifer to get away from the danger. There had to be some reason that she stayed other than for the money, for someday he would provide for her the way good husbands did. Did she stay out of the foolish assumption that this was the only way that she could find him, her knight in shining armor? Silly woman didn't realize that he would much rather find her in different ways, he wanted her to leave that harmful job. Didn't she understand that there were sickos out their who would take advantage of her goodness, and that he would come to her no matter what? Since she still worked in a dark world, it was his responsibility to punish those who thought of harming her, but he took little pleasure in it. One day, he and Jennifer would be alone together, and she would never have to worry about people harming her. Until then, he would grit and bear the burdan of being her guardian angel.

He hoped that she would shed no tears for the man he had killed a few weeks earlier for her. His darling was so compassionate like that, she would feel sorrow for the man though he was a monster. He wished that she could understand that this man deserved what he had gotten, but her delicate brain couldn't handle information like that. His beloved was so very intelligent, but she lacked the capacity to comprehend the true art of what he had done. She was so wrapped around the fragile morals implimented by society, she didn't understand the higher law of love and masterpiece. One day, she would become his student and find out the world she had been missing while adhereing to the rules of mortals, and embrace who she was meant to become.

Until that day, he would wait and live for the both of them. When she knew of his love, she would come to him, but until then he had to be patient. He would not rush his Jennifer's progression the way others had. Jennifer was too special for him to take any chances.

* * *

**_An/ I hope it lived up to your expectations, feel free to review and let me know what you thought. _**


	3. Chapter 3

**_An/Thanks for reading! Just FYI (to all of those of you who will wish me death threats if I don't update this quickly) I will not be updating this story until at least the end of next week. Going on vacation. But, I did want to leave you with a great chapter, so I hope this does the trick._**

* * *

"Come on Henry, we're going to be late for day care." JJ worried as she rushed to the car. She wasn't going to be late perse, just later than usual, and when you prided yourself on your ability to be on time, being late was unacceptable.

She hurried and fastened her small son into his car seat, cursing the many straps and buckles. She never had a car seat and she turned out fine, maybe this whole child safety thing was just a fad. As she climbed into the front seat of her blue SUV, JJ instantly noticed that her chair was scooted further back than she remembered, and her review mirror was all sorts of alignment. Blaming it on being drowsy the night before, JJ easily corrected the problem and went to back out. She didn't know why she noticed anymore, her entire life she had fixed the strange changes in her car, though she never remembered making them.

Trying to shake her sense of paranoia, JJ turned around and backed out of her driveway. As she worked to push the thoughts of fear from her mind, she failed to notice the black Cadillac parked just a few feet from her house.

* * *

"Agent Jareau." Angela, the receptionist said as JJ walked in for the morning. "Here are your messages."

JJ thumbed through them needlessly. Most of them had little relevance, her dad called to tell her about a new kind of bolt he was going to sell back in his hardware store in East Allegheny, Henry's daycare teacher called to remind JJ about the booster shot round that Henry needed before his first birthday. Reading through the messages, she almost didn't notice one from her aunt saying her old piano teacher had died. She thought that was strange for a moment, not that the woman died, she was nearly 90 years old--death was to be expected. But more that her Aunt Lillian thought to tell her. JJ decided that she would send the family a nice floral arrangement, after all, Nina Gordan did have to work with JJ's awful rendition of 'Chopsticks'. It was thanks to Nina that JJ was still to this day the best pianist her family had ever seen. It never crossed her mind that nothing in the death was natural.

_Flashback_

_"Jennifer." Nina Gordan chastised as JJ hit yet another wrong note. At 10 years old, JJ lacked all the talent that her brother Johnny had exhibited at her age. "Did you not practice?"_

_"I was busy." JJ defended, trying to fight the urge to remind Nina that she was 'JJ' not 'Jennifer'. "I had soccer practice."_

_"If you never practiced soccer, you wouldn't be very good." Nina said, trying to be patient with the young woman. "Piano is the same way, if you neglect it, you won't be very talented."_

_"I'm trying." She complained slightly, wondering what the lady's problem was._

_"Not very hard." Nina countered. "Keep your fingers round, like your holding a bubble."_

_"Why would I be holding a bubble?" JJ muttered under her breath. This was seriously pointless, if it weren't for the fact her mother made her, JJ wouldn't be caught dead playing the piano._

_"I never had this problem with Johnathon." Nina grumbled bitterly, instantly regretting it as she saw small tears swell in the young blonde's eyes. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."_

_"No, its fine." JJ lied. "May I go home please?"_

_Nina nodded, remorseful that she had even thought to be so callous. "Yes you may."_

_"I promise to practice." JJ said, silently swearing to herself that she would be as good as Johnny had been. Though it was years ago, she still remembered the sweet piano music that filled thier home before he 'went away' as her mother called it._

_As she rushed out the door and climbed onto her bike, she didn't notice the man in a beat up pick up truck watching her intently._

_

* * *

_

"Come in." JJ called as she heard a light rapping on her office door. It was sheer torture to be stuck in here alone all day, so any visitor was well received by her.

"Hey JJ." Hotch said as he let himself in, smiling tentatively at the blonde. "I was wondering if you still needed help fixing that lock."

"Oh, yes." JJ exclaimed, having nearly forgotten. The previous week she had woken up to her lock sticking funny, it would turn just fine that night and in the morning--the door was practically wedged open. Sadly, this was not the first time her back door had become more than an annoyance. Since the door only opened to her fenced-off backyard, it was only a nuisance. With Will gone, and not knowing any good handymen in her area, she had resorted to the next best thing, Hotch. "If you could help me with that, I would really appreciate it."

"I'll be by after work if that's alright with you." Hotch announced, grinning despite himself at JJ's joyful expression. He found that JJ was a person who was easy to please, something he found very endearing.

"That's great." JJ smiled, happy to be getting her door fixed. Maybe if she was lucky, she could persuade him to take a look at her bathroom light. "I'll even buy Chinese."

"Like you need much of an incentive to do that." Hotch retorted, slightly mocking JJ's love for oriental food.

"Hey, its not my fault. We never eat it on cases because Reid can't wield a pair of chopsticks and soy sauce is delicious." JJ defended. "I have no choice."

"Well, I will see you and your Chinese food at seven." Hotch chuckled as he reached for the door. Before he could step out though, he noticed a small something on the floor. Stray papers weren't unusual in JJ's mess of an office, but as he bent to pick it up, he noticed something. It was a picture of JJ. "I think you might have dropped this." He said, reaching it over to her.

"Why do I have a picture of me walking to my car in the parking garage?" JJ asked rhetorically, sizing up the photo. It wasn't a bad picture of her, just one that she had no idea she had. "That's strange." She shrugged, deciding it was nothing. If anything, it was probably a picture that Morgan had taken for a prank that he dropped when he was in her office last. Morgan was always doing weird things like that.

"Is it anything I should be alarmed about?" Hotch asked, not knowing why there was a sudden feeling of uneasiness coming over him. It was just a picture, there was no reason why he should feel worried about it.

"Nah, its nothing." JJ insisted, throwing the photo in the trash bin next to her desk. "I will see you and your highly appreciated toolbox at my house." JJ smiled, glad that her boss was willing to help her out in the manual labor department.

* * *

He really hated Aaron Hotchner. Jennifer's boss was getting to cozy with his soul mate, and boundries needed to be drawn. He knew Jennifer's "Hotch" was just an insignificant little thing, not worthy of his time or energy, but he felt himself coil with anger all the same. One day, Hotch would pay restitution for all the harm he had done to his and Jennifer's love, but until then, he would just have to tolerate him as man tolerated termites before an exterminator.

* * *

"Hey." JJ smiled as she answered the door for Hotch. "There's my free labor."

"Who said it was free?" Hotch teased. "I'm working for Chinese food."

"Funny." JJ smiled as she let him through her door. As per usual, her house was a tad bit messy, not that Hotch noticed much. Every time he came into JJ's house, he was surprised at how lively it was. Even before Henry, JJ's home personified personality, almost as much as Garcia's. His own home seem cold in comparison, though that wasn't hard.

"So where is the lock that needs fixing?" Hotch questioned, lugging around his red tool box.

"Yeah, on the back door." JJ informed appreciatively. "It keeps sticking and I would just really like to be able to shut it again." She ushered him to her kitchen table where her favorite chinese take out was piled.

"I'll fix this real quick and then we can eat." Hotch said, breaking out his screwdriver. The lock seemed to be jammed, like something had been thrust in there to keep the door unlocked. Hotch was sure that JJ wasn't jimmying her own lock, so he assumed that something must have gotten in inadvertently, never suspecting that the lock was broken for a reason. With a few twists, Hotch surveyed his handy work with pride. He managed to fix the door that had been irritating JJ for months in a matter of minutes.

"You're a life saver." JJ smiled gladly, happy to finally be able to shut her door all the way. "You are worth every penny I spent on the food."

"I get that a lot." Hotch chuckled, letting himself up from the squatting position he had been in. "So what do we have here?" He asked as he sat at JJ's kitchen table, pulling up a chair for her as well.

"I got some orange chicken and the beef and broccoli." JJ said, placing some plates on the table and opening the large containers.

"This looks great." Hotch thanked, his head turning slightly to catch JJ's eye. However, he noticed something and turned around quickly. "Wait."

"What?" JJ asked in confusion, not noticing what was suddenly so interesting about her house.

"You own a piano?" Hotch inquired, getting up and walking toward the piece of musical furniture. "I had no idea that you even played."

"My mom tried really hard to keep me well balanced. She'd only allow me to play soccer as long as I was doing something to refine myself in other ways." JJ explained, smiling at Hotch's shocked expression. "Piano was the best way I was able to do that."

"Still, I took piano lessons for years and can barely manage "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star". Are you any good?" Hotch asked, already suspecting the answer.

"Erm." JJ said elusively, "I began practicing really hard when I was about ten. My teacher told me I wasn't as good as my brother, I had to prove her wrong." JJ blushed slightly, attempting to dodge his question.

"Are you going to play me anything?" Hotch asked hopefully, not knowing what to expect. Part of him was shocked that JJ played the piano, and part of him had known it all along.

"I don't know." JJ said softly, not knowing if she wanted to play for her boss. It wasn't a matter of whether she was good or not. She was fantastic and she knew it. It was just a little embarassing show casing her secret talent like that.

"What? Are you afraid?" Hotch taunted, knowing that any teasing from him would ignite that fire with in JJ that would give him exactly what he wanted.

"Fine." JJ conceded, plopping down on the piano bench. "What do you want to hear?"

"How about..." Hotch began as he searched through the music piled haphazardly on top of JJ's piano. Like everything else in JJ's life, her piano was subject to a survivable cluttered mess. "This one."

"Kaleidoscope?" JJ asked unsure, it had been a while since she had played that one. "If you insist." She shrugged as she began to tune out the world around her. When JJ played, the world around her faded into nothingness, the only thing living being her and the music that surrounded her. This tunnel vision began easily with the plucking of the first few notes. Slowly, she began to play more intensely, her eyes focusing on the music in front of her, never looking down as her fingers flew. Hotch could tell within moments that JJ loved it, as she focused entirely on the music being played, there was a smile continually dancing on the edge of her lips. He had never seen such intensity in his life than he saw at that moment, JJ pounding on the keyboard. Softly ending with the last peaceful notes, JJ looked over at Hotch.

"What did you think?" She asked rhetorically, noticing that Hotch seemed moved by the piece played. This lifted her spirits ever so slightly, she always enjoyed Hotch being impressed with her and this was no exception.

"I had no idea you could do that." Hotch said truthfully, trying to contain the stunned expression he was sure his face held. "JJ, I've never heard anything like it."

"I will take that as a compliment." She chortled softly. "Thanks." She smiled slightly, trying to interperate what the strange look in Hotch's eyes meant. It was moments like this where JJ felt like the peace between them was too full to disperse. There was a feeling of wholeness around Hotch that she found no where else.

Blinking, Hotch tried to overcome himself. "Ermm...We should eat."

"Alright." JJ said, biting the corner of her lip as she got up and walked to the table. This new form of conversation between them was strained, but meant more to JJ than she would have ever thought. She was finding herself in a new and different sort of terrain with Hotch, and she wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

He felt disgusted as he watched them settle down together to eat. They looked just like a little family, it was sickening. He tried to control his fury at the music Jennifer had played for the unworthy Unit Chief. Jennifer was his, she was supposed to save that music for him. Didn't she understand that she was breaking the heart of the only person who loved her? Her foolishness would be paid for in the end, but Aaron Hotchner was finding himself creeping onto a long list of people who needed to be stopped and punished. A list that niether Damien or Nina had managed to get off of alive.

* * *

**_An/ Anyway, let me know what you thought. Have a great week :)_**


	4. Chapter 4

"JJ, you're here!" Emily shouted as she saw her blonde colleague and friend cross the grass between them. "Finally." This last afterthought caused Morgan to erupt into laughter. If there was anything funny on this earth, it was JJ running late.

"Don't 'Finally' me." JJ sniffed defensively. "You're the one we've had to stall the jet for because you couldn't get there on time."

"That was one time." Emily huffed, plopping down on the picnic bench next to Reid. "And there was traffic."

"You just keep telling yourself that doll face." Garcia said, smiling and waving JJ over to the table. It was the fifth annual BAU picnic, a tradition that had only begun because Garcia and JJ had demanded it. "I'm sure that your snooze button would say differently."

"I'll show you what my snooze button would say---" Emily began, not knowing how to follow through with her menacing threat.

"Just like the time you showed us what too much alcohol meant?" Morgan interjected, causing Emily to blush violently. The entire team began to laugh at Emily's embarrassment.

"That was one time and---" Emily began to defend.

"One time that left our dear Dr. Reid perpetually scarred." Garcia retorted.

"I'm not scarred." Reid muttered quietly, feeling more than a little defensive. JJ smiled as she reached the picnic area at the shy genius. He was so absolutely full of it, the time that Emily table danced in front of him definitely had left his mark.

"Nice of you to join us JJ." Rossi chuckled, soaking in the one time he had ever seen JJ be the last one to arrive. While the interaction he had with the liaison was limited, it didn't stop him from enjoying the ironies that popped up.

"There was traffic." She shrugged, blushing slightly. Truthfully, she'd had a uneasy feeling the entire way to the park, for which she compensated for by driving slow. But her explanation fell on deaf ears as Rossi stared little Henry in the eyes.

"Hey buddy." He cooed, always enjoying other people's children. He knew that he probably wouldn't ever have children of his own, but that didn't stop him from utalizing the extraciricular pursuits of his teammates. "You being good for your mama?"

"Hi JJ." Hotch smiled, smirking at the legendary profiler turning to mush at the sight of JJ's small son.

"Hi." She smiled tentatively in return. Her grin grew as she saw a small four-year-old boy hide behind his father's pant leg. "Hi Jack."

Jack, feeling shy at the moment, just waved to JJ. Though his interaction with the people his Dad worked with was limited, JJ had always been his favorite. She was the one who gave him candy everytime he visited his dad at work. She was also the one who his dad frequently talked about.

"Buddy, can you say 'hi' to JJ?" Hotch asked his son tenderly, something that nearly broke JJ's heart. It wasn't that Will wasn't sweet or gentle with their son, or even that Will didn't have anything to do with Henry. It was just that ever since the breakup, JJ had her doubts of how committed of a parent Will really was.

Jack shook his head, grinning slightly at the small amount of power he held.

"That's alright. He waved, that's good enough." JJ said lightly.

"If it makes you feel any better, that's about as much as I get when I first pick him up." Hotch teased, then there was more truth to that statement than he would let on.

"Will told me that when he picks up Henry for the weekend, the kid bawls for an hour straight." JJ admitted, noticing how wonderful the summer sun felt on her skin. She looked over her shoulder out of sheer habit. She often had the feeling that someone was watching her, the hairs on the back of her neck would stand up, alerting her to some outside presence. Knowing before she focused that she wouldn't see anything, she instantly blushed as she saw Hotch follow her lead.

"What is it?" He asked, a fair amount of concern resonating in his voice mixed with its natural tone of authority.

"Its nothing. I've just read too many case files. I'm probably just hyper-sensitive." JJ dismissed, not allowing herself to remember that she had been feeling this for a whole lot longer than she had been in the BAU.

"Well, if you're sure." He said, checking the wooded area one last time. "If you ever have anything to worry about, know that you can tell me."

"I know." JJ said softly, inwardly feeling a sense of comfort at the idea. Hotch was an ideal boss, one of the few who had ever made her feel protected. Trying to change the subject back to happier conversations, she turned to Garcia with a smile. "Did you want to go shopping tomorrow?"

"Yes." Garcia exclaimed happily, knowing she needed to buy some more electric blue fishnet nylons. She had been wearing a hole in the knee of her current pair, and no outfit was complete without them. "Can we go to the Mall on 23rd? I heard that they have this new place where all the items are made after the image of the Dalia Lama and--"

"Say no more, I'm in." JJ smiled, looking forward to a little girl time. "When do you want to meet there?"

"Actually, would it be alright if I spent the night at your place?" Garcia asked meekly, an expression that didn't do often--or very well. "Kevin is out of town and Garcie here just doesn't like sleeping alone in my apartment anymore. Ever since my cat nipped at my foot and I ended up kicking it, I don't really trust myself."

"You kicked your cat?" JJ inquired, supressing a snorting laugh. There was high irony in Garcia--the vegetarian, kicking a cat.

"It was late and Mr. Skittles didn't know not to lick Momma's toes after she watched 'Saw IV' and it all just didn't end well." Garcia admitted, her usual vibrato keeping her from embarrassment.

"Mr. Skittles?" Morgan chimmed in, not believing his baby girl would actually do that to some self-respecting feline.

"Oh hush you. Like Clooney takes the Emmy for creativity." She said, rolling her eyes. "Emily, what do you say? Sleep over at JJ's!"

"I wish I could." Emily said, though she wasn't very convincing. "But I have a date."

"With who?" Garcia pried, wondering if her homegirl had found herself a Casanova without consulting her favorite Tech Goddess. "Tell me his name, we can do a back ground check."

"That's okay." Emily insisted, positive that the last thing she wanted was to give the name of her newest boyfriend to Morgan. The last time she let Morgan in on who she was dating, she had gotten an hour worth of 'Derek Morgan's Fool Proof Dating Tips', with guaranteed success. Having seen the product in action, she had no urge to try to follow his advice.

"Oh come on!" Reid said, feeling a little like he'd like to know the intimate details of someone's dating life. Maybe after that, he would feel slightly less pathetic for choosing to spend tonight watching Star Trek instead of trying to visit Austin.

"No, that is really alright." Emily said again, hoping that someone would swoop in to save her.

"Aren't you glad that with Henry, you don't have time for this conversation." Hotch whisperd conspiratorially to JJ.

She giggled and nodded. "Yes."

"This is one of those times where its good to be a parent." Hotch laughed.

* * *

She was laughing at his joke! His Jennifer was lauging at the imbecile's joke! He felt so disgusted with his beloved at the moment. Forgiveness would come for her eventually, but was she forgetting what she owed him? After all he had done for her, this was how she repaid him? His Jennifer was testing him, he knew it. She wouldn't do this to him. She wouldn't so flippantly turn her affections to another.

* * *

"Jayje, you triple lock your doors?" Garcia scoffed as JJ went on her semi-OCD rampage.

"What? I see a lot at work." JJ shrugged as she continued to ensure that her home was secured for the night.

"So do I, but I don't lock my windows." Garcia teased kindly. In truth, they DID see a lot at work, and while she wasn't surprised that her friend was obsessively locking her home, she found it quite endearing that the young mother would protect her son like a blonde she-bear protecting her cub.

"I am so excited to get those new shoes." Garcia added as JJ moved on to the back door.

"Shoes? I thought we were going for fish-net nylons?" JJ asked absentmindedly.

"Well, what's a good pair of fishnets without the proper footwear?" Garcia admitted sheepishly.

"What was I thinking?" JJ laughed, always enjoying her friend's eccentric nature.

"Well, I'm beat." Garcia yawned, stretching out tiredly. "Making sex jokes at Morgan all day can take a lot out of a girl."

"One second and I can find you a blanket, just let me lock the garage."

Garcia rolled her eyes in disbelief. She thought that maybe, just maybe, JJ was a little too paranoid.

* * *

His Jennifer had company, usually that would persuade him to stay away for one night, but not tonight. He had spent an entire day watching man ogle at his beloved and he needed her more than ever. He needed to know that she was his, and he wouldn't be dissuaded by the idiosyncratic Penelope Garcia. He need nothing more than to watch his Jennifer sleep, and her silly friend would not take that away from him!


	5. Chapter 5

**_An/ Enjoy!_**

* * *

Early the next morning, Garcia awoke with a loud yawn. She had suddenly remembered after they went to bed how comfortable JJ's couch was. Without thinking, she got up and looked around. Nothing seemed different. She suddenly felt silly for even thinking anything was out of the ordinary.

Knowing how her blonde friend hadn't slept well ever since Will's departure, she was more than willing to allow her over-worked and over-stressed friend the beauty sleep she so desperately craved, not that she needed it, Garcia thought with a smirk. But being the intelligent person she was, she needed some sort of mental stimulation desperately. Knowing that it would be inconsiderate to turn on any loud music or the television, and already knowing that JJ didn't have any books she really wanted to read, Garcia decided to go grab her blonde friend's newspaper.

She didn't think twice about the idea, the pair of them had very few boundries with each other and reading JJ's newspaper was basically as if she was reading her own. _Su case me casa _had always been adhered to stringently in their friendship--at least when they were at JJ's house. As she went to unlock the formerly fortified door, she noticed something strange, the lock wasn't stuck. None of them were. After JJ had gone to great lengths to practically quarantine them in there. Deciding that her BAU barbie friend must have just decided to go for an early morning run, as blonde, healthy, crazy people often did, she grabbed the newspaper and tried to ban the light thoughts of worry from her mind. She was sure that she just had seen to many morbid images on her computer screen. Not everything was a true crime novel.

Suddenly she had a brilliant idea. It was now time to give Henry the gift she had bought months ago.

* * *

"I slept way too long." JJ yawned to herself as she stretched her arms out after her long night of slumber. She had slept like a log for the first time in what felt like an eternity. She couldn't remember the last time she had slept until ten thirty. Resolving herself that a shower was unnecessary and time consuming, she threw on a pair of sweats and a over sized t-shirt and ran down the stairs, hoping Garcia wasn't _entirely_ annoyed. True, she wasn't in her prettiest moment, but who was she going to see at the mall while shopping for electric blue fishnets?

"Garcia?" She shouted, not immediately seeing her friend on the couch. "Marco?"

"Kitchen." Garcia yelled in return, helping herself to a hot fudge sundae flavored pop tart. She didn't even know JJ kept this sort of stuff in the house, not that she didn't appreciate it.

As she walked in, her first sight was her little son. Her poor, young, impressionable son. "Garcia, what is he wearing?" JJ asked delicately, though she wanted to rip it off her child as soon as possible.

"A Barry Manilow onesie with little shorts." Garcia said proudly, completely missing the glare JJ shot at her.

"My son is not to be wearing Barry Manilow anything." JJ whispered firmly. "Take it off so that I can burn it promptly."

"JJ, please, Barry is much better than that infernal music you keep feeding him." Garcia retorted, standing her ground as she did everytime her god son's well being was in question.

"There is no way Barry Manilow is better than my music." JJ countered, rolling her eyes.

"Please, Toby Keith? You are feeding your child country music and I'm corrupting him?" Garcia said it as though JJ was committing the cardinal sin.

"Country comes before elevator music." JJ shrugged, picking Henry up from his high chair. "Come on buddy, lets get that off of you so that you can grow up without a warped gender identity."

"Elevator music?" Garcia spat. "Sometimes I have no idea why we are friends."

"You and me both." JJ said, swiping the smugness right off Garcia's face. "Now could you help me get him ready in a way where people don't think I'm torturing my child so that we can go shopping."

"Are you sure you want to go shopping now? I mean, you haven't showered." Garcia said critically.

"Why, neither have you?" JJ asked, unsure of why Garcia cared now. They maintained in their friendship that when it was an early Saturday morning, they could look homeless without any hit being taken on their self-esteem.

"Yeah but I didn't excercise." Garcia insisted, as though that made all of the difference.

"Neither did I." JJ returned, noticing as Garcia's eyes grew wide.

"You didn't?" The flamboyant tech anaylst sputtered. "But the doors were unlocked."

"What do you mean?" JJ asked, suddenly having a small pit in her stomach.

"This morning when I got your news paper, the doors were unlocked." Garcia reasoned, suddenly feeling nervous that JJ had no idea what she was talking about. "You didn't go for a run? Are you sure?"

"I'm positive." JJ shrugged, absolutely dumbfounded. "Maybe you unlocked them and just forgot."

"Maybe." Garcia conceeded, she often did tasks in the morning without really noticing it. Chalking it up to all just one big misunderstanding, she pushed the matter from her mind.

JJ however, was not that easily persuaded. She was becoming increasingly consumed with the thought that maybe something was going on, something very strange, and that maybe, she needed to get to the bottom of it. She couldn't bury her head in the sand anymore.

Rubbing her arms together to bring down the goose bumps, JJ decided that it was time to look a little more closely to the world around her. She knew it was silly, but her brain kept flashing with thoughts of the people who she was faintly aware of winding up dead. She was sure it was unrelated, but it couldn't hurt to give everything a closer look. "Come on Garcia, lets just get out of here." She said, deciding her son being clad in Barry Manilow paraphanilia may not be her biggest worry.

* * *

"Please, don't hurt me." Brad Johnson screamed as he was hit by another blow, crumbling to the hard asphalt. "I'll do anything."

"You'll pay for what you did to my Jennifer." The man hissed, raising the bat one more time as he threw it squarely at the coward's at his feet back.

"I don't know anyone by that name, please, I've got a family." Brad exclaimed. Here he had just gone for his morning jog when this man popped up from no where. "I'll give you whatever you want."

"Its too late for that." The unsub said icily, planning his last blow with perfection. As the bat crashed into the back of the man's skull, he felt the rush of doing what was right for his beloved. His Jennifer. Watching her sleep the night before had reminded him of his responsibilities as her guardian angel. He heard the imbecile's last few, shallow breaths before he knew it was done. The list of those who needed to be punished was shrinking, and now there were a few names left. Soon he would have to go across the country, he would miss his Jennifer for those few short days, but he had faith that once she knew of his mission, he would never be without her again.


	6. Chapter 6

**_An/ Enjoy!_**

* * *

"You've got to be kidding me." JJ grumbled, it had been a stressful weekend and she knew instantly that there was no way she could get through this Monday morning without her beloved pretzles. Having cut most junk foods out of her life, the pretzels accounted for almost all of her snack food consummation. So it had come as no surprise when the vending machine was her first stop. However, her dreams were instantly shattered as the machine took her dollar, but the lovely bag of goodness was jammed in the machine. She looked around quickly, making sure no one was watching before she began to assault the rogue appliance. She kicked it hard as she could, moaning as it failed to work.

"What are you doing?" Hotch asked, catching her as she was about to kick it again. He couldn't stop himself from chuckling at the frustrated grimace that graced the blonde's face.

"The machine ate my dollar." JJ informed, pounding on the plexiglass with an angry fist.

"You do know that 36 people die in the US every year because they decided to attack vending machines." Hotch announced, pulling out his wallet.

"You sounded like Reid just there." JJ teased, her heart still sinking from the stress that had been taking over her life.

"Who do you think I heard it from?" Hotch retorted, causing JJ to smile broadly. People rarely saw this side of him, the side that had a sarcastic comment to everything, but JJ knew it well. He pulled out a dollar and went to put it in the machine. "Pretzels, right?"

"You don't have to do that." JJ said, looking at him insistently.

"You're not going to get anything done without them." Hotch countered. "I'm doing it for the unit."

"Well, if you really want to." JJ teased as he slid the dollar in and pushed A-4. She watched with mild dismay as the pretzels easily fell to the bottom, so the machine would work for him.

"Its because you continually kick it." Hotch smiled.

"Now you sound like Garcia, talking about her babies." JJ chuckled, watching as Hotch cringed.

* * *

_"JJ, girl, its nothing. Really, its nothing. Its nothing. Really, its nothing." _She mentally repeated time after time, unable to shake the panic from within her.

But she saw the file on her desk.

The file labeled Brad Johnson, a name that at one time she knew better than her own.

_Flashback_

_"Hey, JJ. I can give you a ride home." One of her soccer friends, Carolyn offered as they stood at the victory party at East Allegheny High's winning the state championships in girl's soccer. Normally JJ didn't really condone drinking, not after what happened with Johnny, but it was a good night and she felt like she deserved some celebratory spirits. She usually would have excepted the ride easily, knowing that Carolyn, the group prohibitionist, was stone cold sober and would get her home in one piece, but not tonight._

_"Nah, I'll just get a ride home with Brad." She smiled, having a strong liking for her long term (and first) boyfriend. "I really don't know where he's gone to though, but I'll find him." They had gotten together when she was Fifteen and three years later, they were the couple that the entire school thought was going to get married. JJ wasn't so sure about that, having gotten a scholarship to Pittsburgh, she was about to set off on her own. While they talked of getting married after college, the distance would be difficult when he went to Penn State._

_But at this point, she had no problem with his wandering eye, she hadn't even suspected it. But as she looked around for him that night, she had gotten blindsided. She couldn't find him anywhere, so finally, she managed to scrounge up a ride with one of her neighbors, all she needed to do was grab her purse. As she opened the door to the bedroom where she had carelessly thrown it, she noticed something that shocked her._

_Not because it was unfamiliar, no...it was very familiar. She would have known those boxers from anywhere, they had been present when she first lost her..."Brad?" She shrieked, noticing that her boyfriend was certainly not alone._

_"What--Jayje, I can explain." He sputtered, jumping to his feet and shoving on a pair of shorts. "Its not what it looks like."_

_"Its not--It sure looks like what it isn't supposed to be but looks like." She said, admitting to herself that in her anger, she was far from eloquent._

_"JJ..." He began, but then she saw who he was with...Shauna Delvers...Shauna Delvers who was supposed to be her best friend._

_"Shauna!" She shouted, grabbing her bag and storming out angrily._

_He chased after her, grabbing her and spinning her to face him. "Look at me, it was a mistake, but trust me that I...Its not..." _

_"I don't care what its not, or whatever you want to justify it with." JJ interrupted disbelievingly. "All I know, and all I care about is that I never want to see you again."_

_"JJ--" He begged, putting his hand on her shoulder._

_"Brad, so help me, you touch me again and you will pay." She threatened, running out to catch her ride, hoping no one would notice her reluctant tears._

_She was so preoccupied with the moment, she never even had a chance to notice the brown station wagon follow her home._

"JJ, its a coincidence." She repeated to herself, still sifting through some files that she had carelessly discarded as blitz attacks. She knew that there was a strict possibility that it was just because she was looking so close, but an awful amount of cases had connections to East Allegheny, more over, a lot of them had something to do with her.

Never full on connections, not like Brad, but people who danced on the edges of her life. People she faintly recalled. She wasn't sure of course, she wanted to chalk it all up to being paranoid, but something within her told her that she was stumbling onto something that she wasn't ready to face.

But ready or not, she couldn't deny it anymore. Something was going on, actually, it had been for a while, and it was time to almost, maybe face it.

* * *

She walked quickly out of her office when the clock struck five, hoping that she could make it out before the rest of the team.

"Hey JJ." Hotch said, for once leaving on time, she almost couldn't believe the irony. "Did you get to the Keller case file?"

"I looked at it." She said shortly, not adding any expression to her words.

"Are you okay?" Hotch asked, used to getting the best of JJ. "You just seem..."

"I'm fine." She lied. "I've just got to go." She knew she was being cold, not so much in her words but in her demeanor that screamed 'GET AWAY FROM ME!' She cared for Hotch, which is why she couldn't let him get any closer, because people closer were turning up dead.

"JJ--" He called after her as she turned to walk away, but as soon as she reached the stairs, she broke into a sprint. She couldn't get caught, she couldn't be reasoned with. Because for the preservation of her family, it was time to go on self-isolation.


	7. Chapter 7

**_An/ So, here's the next chapter._**

* * *

"So, Jayje, are you doing anything fun this weekend?" Garcia asked JJ as she passed the group of profilers gathered around the tables near the break room.

"Yeah, I'm going home to Pennsylvania." She said quickly, hoping to discourage as much interaction with everyone as possible--at least until she was sure that nothing was going on. She had quickly begun isolating herself, wanting to cut herself off completely from her friends in case her suspicions where correct.

As JJ practically ran through the BAU bullpen, her friends looked at her in surprise. "What's going on with her?" Morgan asked in surprise.

"I don't know, but she's been like this all week." Emily dismissed, sure that if it were something serious that JJ would talk to the team.

"I really think something is up." Reid affirmed.

"If Agent Jareau has something to say, she will say it when she's ready." Hotch said uncomfortable, adjusting his blue tie slightly out of habit. He didn't want to admit it, but he was feeling worried for JJ, she wasn't acting the same as she usually did. And honestly, he knew that deep down, he cared more now than he would have with any other member of the team. "Just leave her alone for now."

Emily eyed the unit chief curiously, not missing the certain twinge of pain in his voice. _"JJ had better get her crap together before she misses out." _She thought to herself elatedly.

* * *

JJ sighed a feeling of relief as she pulled onto the small town road leading into East Allegheny.

"It's okay, Henry," She spoke to her son who was still fast asleep, "We're safe here."

She realized now, how stupid she had been. She'd been feeling uneasy for a long time, and it was stupid of her to ignore those feelings. Slight hairs standing up on the back of her neck every once in a while. But she ignored it, because she thought she was paranoid.

_"Why can't I ever just ask anyone for help?" _She wondered as she turned onto a small country road that would lead her to her parents home. She wasn't about to head into town and visit the store just yet, she'd rather get everything settled.

Part of her welcomed getting away from town, and another part of her wondered if it was really a good idea to go to the backwoods of Pennsylvania when she was worried about who maybe following her. Getting out of the car as she hit the small blue house, she unconsciously looked behind her, unable to shake the new feelings of fear that had been gnawing at her lately. She walked to the door softly, breathing in slowly, and knocked on the red front door, already knowing what support she had waiting on the other side.

"Oh, how's my little girl?" Kate Jareau squealed as she opened the door to see JJ standing nervously, she instantly bent over to get a good look at Henry who was sleeping contently in his mother's arms. "Oh, the little guy must be exhausted."

"He's not all that used to road trips." JJ forced a laugh, knowing that while it didn't quite sound natural, it came close enough.

"Well come in!" Her mother ordered, ushering the small blonde woman into her childhood home. JJ couldn't help but feel a small pang as she entered, no matter how she tried to displace them, her memories of Johnny always came straight to the front of her mind. She looked at her mother, surveying the changes that had happened since she had last been home a few months earlier. Her mother's blonde hair was now streaking slightly with silver, but only showed it when in the proper light, the bright blue eyes that JJ had inherited were the same as ever, only now framed by crows feet and laugh lines. It was in this moment that JJ remembered that Kate Jareau had survived hell, and that maybe, JJ could too.

Her mother's eyes lingered on her daughter, her only one at that, and smiled faintly. "He would have been so proud of you. He always was but I think he would have been exceptionally proud of you."

"Mom--" JJ whispered before she heard an excited chuckle.

"Well if it isn't my little Jenny home at last." Her father shouted animatedly, wrapping his hand around his wife's still thin waist. "Good to see you Sweetheart."

"Daddy." JJ chuckled, handing Henry over to her mother so that she could grab him in a big hug. "I've missed you."

"How are they treating you down in that big city? I worry about you." Russell Jareau said to his now returned child. He pulled her out from his grasps to get a better look at her.

"I really like it down there." JJ smiled unconvincingly, her parents seeing right through it. She did love it down there, but now, DC was no longer an escape.

"Its about that Will boy isn't it?" Kate spat. "I told you from day one that he was just--"

"Mom, you loved Will." JJ reminded teasingly.

"Well, I knew he was a bad seed, I just thought that sometimes people change and I was giving him the benefit of the doubt." Her mother defended, not missing her daughter's eye-roll. "Don't you look at me like that Missy! I went through seventeen hours of labor for you, don't make me regret it."

"Sure thing Mom." JJ rolled her eyes at the familiar retort.

"Well, come in and eat Girlie." Her dad commanded, pulling her into the familiar dining room. "You are skin and bones."

"Alright Daddy." JJ whispered, for the first time in months feeling some relief. Little did she know how far from relief she really was.

* * *

His beloved had come back to him. Now in the place of their meeting, he was going to unite their love. It was time that he no longer stood in the shadows.

* * *

"And so I told him that if he wanted it, he would have to come and get it." Her mom hooted, relaying the story of how her brother whined about missing Chili night at the Jareau house. "Poor Justin married Maryanne, who is sweeter than sugar but can't cook a thing."

"Don't mock us women who can't cook." JJ warned teasingly. "Henry might find out that not everyone eats TV dinners every night, and then what will he think?"

"Don't worry Princess." Russell smiled with a glimmer in his eye. "Ordering out was always my favorite recipe."

"That, my dear, is because you can't even boil water without burning it." Kate chuckled, giving her husband of nearly forty years an enamoured grin. JJ laughed uncomfortably at the scene, wondering how her parents could still love each other so much after all this time.

"Now that was a little harsh." Russell countered. "I have managed to make a decent cup of tea once or twice in my life."

"Yes, once or twice." Kate emphasized. "Miracles have to happen sometime."

"Well," He went to retort but never got the chance. Suddenly, her father's phone rang. JJ smirked at the fact that for once, it wasn't her own phone disturbing the family moment, it was her father's. "This is Russell." He said, listening intently, pulling a face of horror. "Did they take anything?"

"Sweetie, what is it?" Kate asked worriedly, watching as he waved her question off.

"You don't say." He muttered. "Yeah Jim, I will be right down." He clicked off of the line, rubbing his temple with his hand.

"Daddy, what is it?" JJ asked softly.

"Someone broke into the store." He said, speaking of the hardware shop he opened nearly thirty years before. While his family was his life, the store was his passion, and JJ felt a soft pang for her father.

"Did they steal anything?" Kate inquired, shoveling her husband more potatoes to soften the blow.

"Every high priced item is accounted for." He said in confusion. "And no money was taken from the register, but apparently the creep wrote something on the wall, the chief wants me to see what it is. Said it could be a bit of a shock."

"Do you want me to go with you?" JJ asked quietly. "I mean, I'm not a profiler like the ones I work with, but I know a thing or two about it. I do also work for the FBI"

"Would you mind?" He question with an interested eyebrow.

JJ shook her head in response.

"Then yes Princess, I think that might be a good idea." He said in a near whisper, getting up from the table and grabbing his coat. "I mean, its not every day you get to see your little girl in action."

"I'll make pie for you two to come home to." Her mother said with a fake smile, her resource for all things stressful being baking. "We even have some ice cream we could have it with."

"That would be great Mom." JJ lied with an equally fake smile, silently dreading this drive into town. As she climbed into the shotgun seat of her dad's rusty red Chevy, she couldn't help but notice the faint smell of tobacco from her dad's smoking days, those days were over before she could remember, but she would always remember when the summer rolled around, how the heated truck smelled like this.

She watched as her dad put the truck in gear and began navigating the winding road into town. She cringed as she neared the familiar spot, closing her eyes as she saw a small wooden cross on the side of the road.

"What is it like to pass it everyday?" She whispered. "In all my years here after he died, I could never get over it when we passed this place."

"John wasn't the type to want people to wallow." Her dad said seriously, his own eyes avoiding the spot that JJ refused to look at. "He would have wanted people to buck up and deal with it."

"I know." JJ said softly. "But sometimes, I just wish he were still here."

"Well Darling, in a lot of ways, he still is." Her dad said, his volume matching hers.

JJ bit her lip nervously, remembering what happened to be her least favorite memory she had to her name.

_Flashback:_

_"Jenny." Justin whispered as he opened her bedroom door slightly. The fifteen year old boy breathed in slowly, trying to make sense of the news he had recieved. Everything had been happening so fast, and it seemed disgusting that he had to break this news to his youngest sister. Josh was right at his side, knowing that it was the time for the siblings to bond together. At three years younger than Justin, he knew that responsibility and maturity weren't much expected from him, but he would show them all the same. It now became increasingly important to make Johnny proud, though--He couldn't bear the thought._

_"If you need money from my piggy bank, the answer is no." Jenny yawned slightly, looking out her window to see the 3 AM sky. She scrunched her nose involuntarily, wondering what her brothers could want._

_"No Jen, we don't want your money." Josh said softly. "We need to talk, its about something kind of serious."_

_"Fine." She huffed. "This better be important because Mom and Dad would kill you for waking me up for a stupid reason." She warned seriously, sitting up to face her brothers who both took a seat on her bed._

_"Jenny, uh--I don't really know how to say this." Justin began. "About an hour ago, Mom and Dad got a phone call from the police and--"_

_"And what?" She asked, knowing that it couldn't be good._

_"Johnny drove to that after game party with Alex and--" Josh trailed off, knowing that he would have to bite the bullet. "And Alex fell asleep while he was taking Johnny and some of the other guys home. He ended up driving off the road at the curve near the Douglas's and--Johnny got hurt."_

_"What do you mean by hurt?" The young girl inquired softly. "Like he had a lot of cuts? Did they take him to the doctor?" Her seven year old mind not able to comprehend just how badly her brother had been hurt._

_"They tried to take him to the doctor." Justin whispered. "But he didn't end up making it that far."_

_"What do you mean?" Jenny questioned forcefully. Johnny had always been the brother that had protected her more than anyone else. He had been her best friend, teasing her mercilessly, but protecting her all the same. Johnny was the one she called when she thought there were monsters under the bed, or alligators in her closet. He had to be okay. _

_"Johnny is in a different place now. The place Reverend Whitmer talks about. He went away." Justin said sadly, trying to hold back all the gory news of this ordeal, his own tears swelling in his eyes. "One of the doctors called to tell us, apparently Mom and Dad are still reeling from it there. I'm sure that they were going to tell us when they got back--But we thought it was better if you found out now."_

_"He's dead?" Jenny asked, the word so foriegn to her, she felt the arms of her two big brothers wrap around her, as if to protect her from this cruel world she was living._

_"Yes." Josh whispered straight in her ear. "Which is why its important that you be really brave for Mom through this. You need to make Johnny proud. We all need to make Johnny proud now."_

"Here we are." JJ's father let out a low sigh as they reached their destination. "I still wish you could have seen the old place under better circumstances."

"It looks great." JJ admitted fairly, surveying what had been her second home with a critical eye. This was the place where she had worked her entire high school career. Out back behind this shack was the small field that her dad and brothers had set up to help her practice her soccer. This was her home much more than DC would ever be.

"Well, we'll see about that." Her dad quipped, opening the door for her, the three police cars already there.

"Russ, you should see this." Chief Jim Gomez called over to his long time friend. The two men had been best friends since their early years, never having missed a major event in the other's life. The chief was actually JJ's own godfather, which lead him to give her a warm smile. "Now how is my favorite little lady?"

"Now, I am no one's little lady." JJ clarified with a grin, walking into the man's inviting hug. "Its good to see you."

"You too." He said, leading the pair over to the back of the store. "You might be able to help us with all of those FBI skills they teach you in Virginia. Care to explain this to us small town folk." He pointed to the southern wall, the wall the held all of the stores pictures and plaques.

"Oh no." JJ said, looking straight at the wall with the blood red words inscribed: _You've come home to me. _

"Sweetie, what is it?" Her dad asked worriedly, wrapping a strong arm around his daughter's waist, remembering her tendency to faint under stress.

"I need to make a call." JJ said firmly. "I will be right back." She tried to keep herself calm, though there was no point in trying. She could feel herself falling apart, not ready to face what was going on. But having turned a blind eye to this for who knows how long, she had to start 'bucking up and dealing with life,' as Johnny would have said. She dialed the familiar number that she had been avoiding for far too long, waiting until she heard someone bluntly say "Hotchner."

"Hotch, its me." JJ said softly, her voice shaking incontrollably. "I'm here in East Allegheny and um...I think I might need you."

"What is it?" He asked in concern, already gathering his wallet and badge so that he could make the drive.

"Is it possible, I mean, to have been having something happen for most of your life, but you don't notice it, because its been happening your entire life? But it's bad so you don't notice it because it's been--" She rambled nervously.

"JJ, you're talking in circles." He informed, trying to calm her down. "Now what is it?"

"I think I might--There's a chance that--" JJ sputtered. "I think I'm being stalked."

"What?" He bellowed, slamming his car door shut. "How long?"

"I have no idea." She whispered pathetically, explaining the last few weeks to him slowly as he gasped in anger and leading up to the moment she called, not leaving out the tiniest detail.

"I'm calling the team. Go home and stay there until I say so. I'm bringing the team." He ordered calmly as he grasped the steering wheel tightly.

* * *

So now she knew about him. Finally, his Jennifer--his beloved had found her Guardian Angel's presence. Everything was working perfectly to plan.


	8. Chapter 8

**_An/ So, here's the next chapter. I hope you like it--I still don't own Criminal Minds._**

* * *

"Honey, what's the matter?" Russell Jareau asked his daughter nearly twenty minutes later. When he walked outside to find her, she was shivering violently, reluctant tears flowing from her eyes, and it was in that moment, he swore he would kill Will if he was the reason she was crying.

"Daddy." She whimpered. "You know the message?"

He nodded slowly. "Yeah Princess, the Chief reckons that this guy got the wrong place--" He tried to soothe her but she turned evenly to face him.

"Its not that he got the wrong place." She said softly, with a firmness that Russ swore she got from her mother. "It just wasn't meant for you. He wrote it for me."

"Jenny?" He asked in confusion.

"I've called my team. They're coming."

"What's going on?" He asked, leveling his eyes at her the way he did when she was little and had done something wrong.

"I'll tell you when we get back to the house." She said evasively, shuddering slightly as she looked at the message on the wall. Now there was no denying that she had a problem. And it was serious.

* * *

"Jenny, are you going to tell us what's going on?" Russell asked, her father's voice filled with anger that he was desperately trying to decipher the slightly frightened look in his daughter's eyes.

"Yeah, Jenny, what's going on?" Her brother Justin asked as he picked at the freshly made apple pie. On hearing that the family store had been vandalized, all of the Jareau children had brought their families to their childhood home to help.

"Erm, I've called my team and--"

"Damn it JJ, you've said that nearly twenty times. Now cut to the chase. What's the deal?" Josh said bluntly. As the brother closest to JJ in age, he had always been able to push her buttons. Josh was also the only one in her family that would use her preferred nickname.

"The deal is, I think I have a stalker." JJ spat quickly, as if the faster she revealed the situation, the faster it would be over.

"A stalker? That's all this is about? Some guy peeking in the windows?" Josh scoffed. "What's the big deal?"

"Josh. Stop talking." Kate warned her youngest son automatically. "Now Jenny, would you like more pie?"

"No mom I would not like more pie." JJ rolled her eyes, unsure of how to explain the depth of the situation.

"Look, it may not seem like a big deal to _some people,_" JJ started, shooting Josh an annoyed look, "but I just noticed lately that things have been weird."

"Weird how?" Erin--Josh's wife--pried as she shot her husband a warning look. Henry was sleeping happily in Erin's arms while Maryanne held her and Justin's two year old daughter.

"Erm," JJ shifted uncomfortably, knowing that if anyone deserved the truth, it was her family. That didn't make her revelation any easier. "I've seen a lot of cases lately that involve people I know. And--I don't know. I've always had this weird feeling, like someone's watching me."

"Always?" Russell asked.

"What do you mean cases?" Justin asked at the same time his father posed his own question. Sheepishly, Justin smiled, and allowed JJ to continue.

"Ever since Johnny died," JJ clarified, "There have just been times when the hair stands up on the back of my neck. Times when I'm alone, but feel like there's someone watching me. Then when I turn around, they are gone. I'll lock the door, and wake up the next morning to have it be unlocked. Stuff like that." JJ tried to explain.

"Like someone watching over you?" Kate asked hopefully.

"No mom. Like someone _watching _me." JJ said firmly.

"What do you mean cases?" Josh repeated Justin's question. "What kind of cases?"

"Murder cases." JJ sighed resignedly. "At first it was just people that I felt like I recognized their names. Then, when I got Brad Johnson's case across my desk, I--"

"Wait, Brad Johnson? As in 'slept with your friend' Brad Johnson?" Justin asked in surprise. "I almost killed that jerk myself. He was murdered?"

"Good riddance." Josh muttered, hoping no one heard his own outburst.

"Joshua!" Erin cried warningly.

"It's true." Josh retorted. He had never been good at controlling his emotions, particularly when it came to the baby of the family.

"The point is, my team is coming here and--"

"So you're trying to tell us that some creep has been following you around for almost 23 years and you _just figured it out_?"Her mother asked in horror.

"Yes?" JJ cringed.

"How dumb do you have to be to not notice some psycho following you around?" Justin asked in shock. Normally the more reserved of her brothers, Justin's shock evidenced itself in his clipped tone and harsh words.

"Justin!" Her older brother's wife turned on him quickly, but Justin was not about to be stopped. The fury and worry that had been unleashed was almost unstoppable.

"I mean, you're an FBI agent for heaven's sakes!" Justin continued, "How did you miss this?"

"You're supposed to be the smart one!" Josh agreed quickly, not allowing his sister time to respond. "You went to college, you are supposed to be the smart one. What an idiot! How could you miss this?"

"I just--" JJ tried to defend, but was interrupted by her other brother.

"_'I just'_ was too busy being an idiot to notice that I was putting everyone I know in danger?" Josh mocked angrily. "Jen, how could you be so--"

His continued rant was cut off by a sharp knocking on the door. "JJ, it's us." The family heard the deep voice that only JJ recognized as belonging to Aaron Hotchner.

"After this." Justin announced, going to answer the door. "You are so dead."

"Hi, we're looking--" Emily began as Justin swung the door wide open.

"The idiot is right here." Josh stated from inside, pointing at JJ.

"Now Josh..." Her mother chastised, but JJ held up her hand, stopping her mother's defensive crusade. While she never enjoyed being called an idiot, she reveled in the normalness of it. After today, all she needed was something to be the same.

"Come in." He ordered, not allowing the team to mistake it for an offer.

"Now I know why JJ doesn't talk a lot about her family." Emily whispered quietly to Morgan. "They're utterly terrifying."

"Can we speak with JJ alone?" Rossi asked delicately, trying to diffuse the tension of the situation. Josh stood up threateningly, as if he was daring them to try to make him leave the room, Justin stood next too him as the rest of the family filed out of the room.

"Boys...NOW." Russ commanded, being the only figure either of the men had ever feared.

"Anything they say to her they can say in front of us." Josh insisted firmly.

"Oh, don't be morons." The father retorted, grabbing both of their arms and practically dragging them from the room. Pausing briefly, he opened the door again a crack before making his final exit. "Jenny, I expect you to tell us everything after this." He said, the tone in his voice not allowing for an argument.

"Yes, sir." JJ sighed resignedly.

"Jenny, tell him that you need us." Josh pleaded, stepping back into the room for a final attempt to discover how deep the situation really was.

"You should go for this." JJ admitted decisively as the door slammed shut with finality, allowing perfect privacy.

"Well, your brother's sure are charmers." Emily mused quietly.

"You should see them after a few beers," JJ laughed. "Its like the Daytona 500 every day of the year."

The rest of them looked at her sternly, not bothering to laugh.

"Sorry." She said softly. "Just trying to lighten the mood. Would you like some pie?"

Morgan began to speak, blatantly ignoring her previous actions. "Garcia is back in Virginia, we had to pry her off of the SUV after she found out."

"So you really think this guy has been after you for years?" Emily asked skeptically.

"More or less since I was seven." JJ confessed.

"Its not uncommon for stalkers to find their victims young and follow them through out their lives." Reid agreed. "What started out as a simple pedophilic obsession escalated into a form of erotomania that has now transcended the majority of your life."

"If this turns out to be real, I am going to kick this guys ass." Morgan muttered.

"Good luck getting to him before Justin and Josh." JJ countered, again earning a stern stare down from the rest of the team. "Fine," She retreated, her hands up in surrender. "I won't try to lighten the mood again."

"What makes you think its been that long?" Rossi asked. "Are you sure that this isn't a recent thing that you are mistaking for your entire life?"

"I've felt like I've been being watched since I was little, but until now, I never gave it a proper thought;" JJ explained. "Until the cases started coming."

"Hotch told us about those." Morgan prodded. "The people who were dying, did they have significant meaning to you?"

"No." JJ shrugged. "I mean, I guess they meant as much to me as any other person I've been acquainted with, but I didn't really know any of them well until Brad Johnson."

"There has to be significance to why he would choose those victims." Rossi pressed. "Think again, if I was a jealous stalker, why would I choose to kill Brad Johnson? Was he a threat to the UnSub? Were you close with him in anyway?"

JJ shook her head. "Not now, I mean, he was my high school boyfriend, its not like I've been aching to see him."

"How did things end between the two of you?" Reid asked interestedly. "Was there any opening in which the UnSub could see it as unfinished."

"Brad cheated on me with my best friend." JJ informed shortly. "I would say if that didn't finish it nicely, I don't know what would."

"Could be acting out as an avenger for those who've harmed you." Emily spoke up.

"Almost like a deranged Guardian Angel." Rossi agreed, contemplating the idea.

"But if he's killing people who've really hurt me, then he's doing a crappy job at it." JJ pointed out. "I didn't care about any of these people enough to remember them."

"But he does." Hotch clarified for her benefit. "Its not so important that they are people who stand out to you as someone how has harmed you as much as he thinks that they deserve this."

JJ took in a slow breath. "Will should be put under protective detail."

"What?" Morgan spewed. "Why?"

"If I was going after people that have hurt me, then Will is at the top of my list." JJ shrugged. "Maybe the UnSub would think the same."

"I'll get in touch with the nearest field office." Emily nodded, pulling out her cell.

"We should talk to local forensics, see if they found anything." Rossi announced. "Also we should take a look at the store to see if there is anything notable that wouldn't be in a forensics report."

"Take Reid with you." Hotch commanded as the boy genius followed the seasoned profiler. "Reid, look for anything that could be in his signiture."

"We can finish the Fountain trilogy." Reid beamed, causing Rossi to roll his eyes.

"Morgan, stay here with JJ's family, see if they have ever noticed anything that could lead to a stalker." Hotch ordered.

"With all respect, shouldn't JJ be doing that? I mean, her folks are bound to say more to her than me." Morgan said as Hotch shook his head.

"You are the only one that could possibly scare her brother's enough to get them to talk." Hotch clarified. "The won't say a word for JJ."

"Fine." Morgan agreed. "But I am getting myself some of that pie."

"Go at it." JJ shrugged as he exited the room.

"You and I are going to Nina Gordan's house to see if anything jogs your memory." He explained to her. "We need to know why he thought that she was a significant figure enough for him to kill her."

JJ nodded gravely. "Whatever you need."

"Come on." He said, wrapping a comforting arm around her. "A little patience and we'll all get through this."

"Easy for you to say," JJ countered. "You haven't had a stalker for your entire life."

* * *

**_AN/Hope you liked it!_**


	9. Chapter 9

**_An/ So, this was a long time coming, but I was recently hit with a sudden flash of inspiration. Thanks to Brynnifer for staying on my case and reminding me that I needed to come up with the rest of this. I had it planned to go in one direction, but I think it's going to turn out better this way. Hopefully it won't take too long to update again, but I'm not making any promises. Enjoy!_**

* * *

The short drive to Nina Gordon's home was an uncomfortable exercise in silence.

"Hotch," JJ cringed, finally deciding to break the silence, "I know I should have called you earlier, I just--"

"JJ, this could happen to anyone." Hotch dismissed, maintaining his normally impassive face even though his white knuckles gripping on the steering wheel betrayed his anxiety over the situation.

"Anyone?" She scoffed. "I believe my brother said it best 'What Moron doesn't realize she's being stalked'?" She imitated Josh's deep voice in jest. "I'm pretty sure this couldn't happen to anyone."

"You're not a moron JJ, just--" He searched for the right word "Unobservant."

"Yeah, that's it." She smirked as she ran her hand through her hair. "I just can't believe this is happening. How could I have missed it?"

"JJ, people miss things." Hotch assured her.

"_You_ don't." She retorted.

"I have before." He said softly, ending all conversation between the two as they pulled up to Nina Gordon's home.

"Well," JJ sighed as she opened the door. "Here we are."

* * *

Morgan craned his neck, cracking it loudly, as he looked over the notes he had taken from talking to JJ's brothers. It had been much more informative than he had thought it could be. JJ's brothers may have initially seemed rough and uncaring, but Derek quickly sympathized with their protective tendencies. He thought back to his earlier conversation with JJ's brothers after having obtained almost no viable leads from JJ's parents.

_"Look, I know this is difficult." Morgan sighed as he turned to the younger two men. "But anything you remember would really help."_

_"You mean, do we remember some psycho following our sister around?" Josh asked hotly. "Don't you think we would have done something about it if we had?"_

_Suddenly, Derek knew exactly where her brothers were coming from. JJ's brothers felt guilty for not defending their younger sister before this all began. "I'm not saying that you realized it then. But those hairs on the back of our necks, every time your gut tells you that something's off--it's usually right. I'm not saying you realized it then. But now, if you look back on it, was there someone who paid more attention to JJ than they should have. Something that now seems like it's a little off._

_"Well--" Justin began before quickly cutting himself off and shaking his head. "I don't know."_

_"No, what?" Morgan pressed, knowing that JJ's family held the key to discovering what was really going on._

_"Remember when Jenny found out that Brad cheated on her with that tramp?" Justin asked, looking around the table for confirmation. Various heads nodded prompting him to continue. "Well, a couple of days later, I remember Brad's car getting vandalized. I--"_

_"Wait, that wasn't you?" Josh asked in surprise, having always thought that his older brother had a strong protective streak._

_Justin shook his head. "No. And there were a couple of other times that things like that happened. Flowers when our dog Sandy died, stuff left on the door for her. It didn't seem like much--" Justin's voice trailed off as he seemed to have a sudden flash of enlightenment before shaking his head slowly. "But that could have been anyone."_

_"Anyone?" Morgan pressed. Justin seemed to know more than he was telling._

_The other man seemed to have momentary turmoil before looking Morgan directly in the eye. "Anyone." _

Obsessional crimes were his specialty, and seeing how this UnSub now had JJ at the center of his focus worried the seasoned profiler more than he would like to admit. JJ's family had gone to their own homes with the strictest command to report any unusual activity directly to one of the FBI Agents. Rossi and Reid had returned first, armed with little more than a file where JJ's mother had reported someone trespassing. The three men scanned everything they knew until the sound of the door creaking open disturbed them. Seeing Emily's fallen face as she reentered the Jareau home, Morgan knew Emily's revelation would not bode well.

Taking one look at the men, Emily released her troubling information. "He got to Will."

"Damn." Morgan sighed. _Can't say he didn't deserve it, though._ Morgan thought as he remembered his own desire to wring Detective LaMontagne's neck.

"How?" Rossi asked. Any information as to LaMontagne's death could help their investigation immensely.

"He was beaten to death. A certain _appendage_ was removed pre-mortem." At this revelation, all three of the men involuntarily winced. Nobody deserved that. Not even William LaMontagne Jr.

"Ouch." Rossi muttered, rubbing his eyes in frustration.

Emily nodded, sitting down at the table next to Derek and picking up the photographs and evidence that JJ had collected. "This is it?" She asked.

"Yeah." Reid intoned, rereading Morgan's notes for the millionth time.

"I just can't get a handle on this guy. I mean, stalking someone--I get that. We've seen it before. Following them over state lines is rare--but again, nothing new. But for more than 20 years? It's just preposterous." Rossi spat angrily.

"Its definitely obsessional." Morgan agreed. "It's rare, but not unheard of. Once a victim becomes a focus of this guy's attention, nothing can dissuade him. It's not that she fit his preferences or anything like that, he's built his entire world around her."

Emily rubbed her temple, desperately trying to ward off the migraine that threatened to explode, "So until he gets her, he's just going to keep escalating."

Rossi nodded dejectedly, agreeing with everything Morgan had said. "Something's changed. He's been 'a part' of her life for a while. Why now? Why start killing now? It seems like before, it was always acts of violence towards those he thought hurt her. What changed?" He mused.

"She's available now." Emily mused. "If he were older, anything before she turned 18 would have been interrupted."

"This guy's got patience." Morgan agreed.

"And some moral code that wouldn't have allowed him to act on his compulsions until she was of age." Reid pointed out, realization dawning.

"Self Control." Rossi mused softly. "Not a lot of UnSubs have that."

"So why not college? I mean, JJ's almost 31 years old. It's not like he hasn't had opportunities to go after her." Emily pointed out.

"Henry?" Morgan asked.

"Henry's almost a year old. If it was Henry, he could have struck any time in the last _two_ years since he found out she was pregnant. All indications are that this spree is recent." Emily countered.

The group fell silent at Emily's point. _Why hadn't he struck earlier?_ They all wondered. Reid suddenly looked uncomfortable as he picked up the pictures of the vandalism at JJ's parents' store.

"What's bugging you?" Rossi asked, eying the younger man knowingly.

"If this guy is building his whole world around JJ, he had to have known she would call us. If he wanted to remain in the shadows and keep escalating until he grabbed JJ, why leave a message at all?" He wondered aloud.

"Because he sees JJ and him in some sort of relationship. He wants her to know who he is. The messages are for her." Morgan answered immediately.

"So what does he get out of it?" Emily asked, picking up on Reid's train of thought.

"Power?" Rossi offered.

"Or a chance to see her again." Reid pointed out. "What if he knew we would come--he knew JJ would come back home and start to investigate."

"It's another opportunity to observe her." Rossi concluded.

"So he's probably still watching each crime scene." Morgan agreed.

"We have to tell Hotch." Emily voiced.

* * *

Hotch and JJ were busy studying Nina Gordon's home. It was still roped off with crime tape--the family hadn't yet even tried to clean up Nina's possessions.

"Did you know that I used to hate her?" JJ mused as she looked at the various nick-knacks placed on the piano. "I thought she was so mean. She always made me practice and always told me I wasn't good enough. Now--"

"JJ, this isn't your fault." Hotch insisted automatically, watching the troubled blonde as she picked up a picture frame with her gloved hand. He noticed the tension in her features, and prayed that they could find this particular UnSub before he did any more damage to JJ's psyche.

Suddenly, his phone rang, cutting off any rebuttal from the blonde.

"Hotch, we think that he's probably still watching all of the locations of his crimes. He's probably got feed up where you are." Emily informed, not waiting for him to even acknowledge that he had answered.

"You think he--" Hotch asked sternly, stopping himself at the realization that he probably didn't want this UnSub knowing they were onto him.

"Yeah, we think he's watching you right now." Emily finished for him. "But there's something else."

"What else?" He asked quickly, aware that JJ was now watching him intently.

"We called the protective detail for Detective LaMontagne. Unfortunately, it was too late." Emily said, the tone of her voice not echoing the sympathy for the event that had befallen the man. Each member of the team had known that Will had left JJ alone and devastated. Emily had as little tolerance for the weasel as anyone else.

"I understand." He said curtly, not wanting JJ to deduce the horrid fate that had been imposed on her former flame.

"The point is, we need to do something to draw him out." Emily intoned as Hotch looked around the room carefully. After closer observation, he saw a small "bug" behind one of the lamps in the foyer. "We need to do something that takes his focus off JJ for a while."

"Agreed. Thanks." Hotch insisted immediately, disconnecting the call.

"What did Morgan say?" JJ queried, knowing that whatever news Hotch needed to deliver was not going to be good.

Deciding against keeping the blonde in the dark with regards to the investigation, Hotch decided to play his hand, knowing full well that the serial stalker was likely watching their every move. "He called to tell me that the protective detail found Will."

"And?" JJ prompted, fearing the worst since Hotch wasn't readily divulging Will's safety. No matter how badly they had ended things, it didn't mean she wanted him to fall victim to this sociopath.

"They were too late." Hotch said, the coldness of his words betrayed by the softness of his eyes.

She stood there, momentarily lost at the realization that she had caused this. Because of her people were dead.

The guilt brought a stinging pain as tears involuntarily formed in her eyes. "He's gone?" She asked, cursing the meekness in her voice that made her feel so vulnerable. No matter how badly her relationship with Will had ended, she hadn't wanted this.

Hotch nodded sadly. "He's gone."

"How?" She asked, knowing that Hotch probably didn't know, but wanting answers. Another person was dead, and this time, it really was her fault.

Hotch's jaw clenched, the only outward sign that he could sense JJ's increasing torment. "We'll catch him." Was all he said in reply. He didn't know the details, but he also wasn't about to lie to her. This UnSub was escalating. Every murder would probably be more violent and bloody than the last. Will's fate was _definitely_ not the end that most people would hope for.

JJ's head fell to her hands. _Poor Henry_. She thought. She knew that Will likely wouldn't have been a factor throughout their lives, but the thought that her son would grow up without ever knowing his father was a difficult one. No matter how badly Will had treated her in the past, she wanted her son to have a father. Now that would never be possible.

Hotch watched as JJ broke down further. The weight of the situation seemed to hit her like a ton of bricks as Emily's words echoed through his mind. _We need to do something to pull his focus off JJ. _ He agreed with that. If they didn't, it was likely that the UnSub would soon go after JJ. Or Henry. He had to plant an obstacle between JJ and the obsessed UnSub. But what?

He could only think of one thing that he was willing to offer to protect the woman who had become a dear friend.

Himself.

* * *

**_AN/Hope you liked it! Sorry about the cliffhanger, but the next chapter is pretty straightforward, so it should come out soon._**


	10. Chapter 10

**_AN/Again, I must say, sorry for the wait, but I tried to get this out as soon as I could. _**

* * *

Hotch quickly picked up a pen and a piece of paper from the notebook in his jacket pocket. What needed to be done was immediate, but he wasn't about to make his move without JJ being prepared. He was, after all, a gentleman. Writing quickly, he motioned to JJ that they needed to leave.

Curious, JJ looked at him as she approached the door, unsure of what suddenly compelled him to leave the scene.

_I have a plan._

_Go with it._

She put the paper in her pocket and nodded slightly, having absolutely no idea what was coming. If JJ had learned one thing throughout her time in the FBI it was to trust Aaron Hotchner completely. He had long ago earned her trust and respect.

Stepping outside, JJ gingerly shut the door that flooded her memory with the sensation of completing her dreaded piano lessons. Each week throughout her childhood, she had been careful not to slam the door as she left--a testament to how happy she was to put off the comparison to her older brother for one more week. It seemed a disservice to the old woman to do anything but reverantly exit the small traditional home.

Whirling around to meet up with Hotch at the bottom of the steps, she was stunned to find him standing incredibly close. In one quick but fluid motion, he put his arms around her waiste and closed the distance between them.

His lips crashing onto hers brought a look of surprise to her eyes that she tried to keep from reaching the rest of her expression. Unable to respond fully, she bent into the kiss, opening her mouth to allow his tongue entrance. It was instinctual, yet the kiss was soft and gentle. Her surprise lessened, and she would be lying if she said that she hadn't hoped for this moment for quite some time. Determined to trust him, JJ entangled her fingers in his short dark hair.

Hotch too was surprised at how quickly his body took over, enjoying the kiss far more than he thought possible. He had loved Hailey, and their marriage had been a happy one at times, but the passion he felt with JJ was something he had never thought possible.

Gasping for air, his mind was suddenly able to regain control of his body. Reminding himself that JJ needed protection, not for him to make her life more complicated, he pulled away. Keeping his arm around her for support, he guided her back to the SUV, certain that the UnSub had been watching them.

As they approached the SUV, Hotch couldn't help but beam at the fact that he had successfully put another obstacle between the stalker and JJ.

And in the process, painted a target directly on his own back.

He wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

He cursed as he watched Aaron Hotchner walk _his_ Jennifer to their car. He should have seen the signs earlier, he should have known. But, he sighed as he reminded himself, there was still time. It was time for he and Jennifer to be together. He couldn't wait much longer.

All he had to do was get rid of Aaron Hotchner.

And he and Jennifer would be together.

They would be a family.

And no one would be able to hurt her again.

* * *

"What do we have?" Hotch demanded, following JJ as they reentered her childhood home to find the rest of the team sitting around the table.

"Just in time." Garcia's animated voice emanated from Morgan's speaker phone.

"What do you have Garcia?" Hotch's sharp tone cut off any jovial retort from the eccentric tech.

"I'm currently running every connection that I can find between JJ and males between the ages of 30-75." Garcia informed him. "Combined with what Derek got from your brothers--which BTW, I hate to tell you crime-fighters, wasn't much--I've got three suspects that seem to fit your criteria, I've sent their info to everybody's cell."

"Who?" He prodded, unwilling to risk any extra time they had.

"Alexander Masterson--" Garcia began to list the names as quickly as she could, knowing that the identity of JJ's stalker likely wouldn't make this experience any easier for her dear friend. "Blake Christensen, and Tony Woodward."

All eyes turned to JJ as they looked for an explanation. "My 3rd grade soccer coach, a friend of my brother, and a guy that lives down the street."

"Any of these people could have easily followed you as you grew up." Reid observed, looking over the information that Garcia had sent.

"Mr. Masterson fell off the wagon years ago." JJ explained, "nobody really knows where he's at. Tony's been in and out of rehab for years. Blake's got a job in DC--he's always looked after me, ever since--" Her voice trailed off as she thought of the man she looked up to as an older brother.

"Good." He sighed, his lips pursing slightly.

"Where's Henry? My parents--?" JJ finally voiced the question that had been pestering her since they arrived at her childhood home. She hoped that she was successful in trying to keep the slight amount of panic out of her voice. As much as she respected her colleagues, it was enough that they were here to help, she didn't need them to see how vulnerable she really felt.

"Upstairs, what's going on? Did you find anything?" Rossi pressed questioningly. He could tell that there was something going on since the two returned from Nina Gordon's house. The atmosphere in the room had become incredibly tense as the team awaited Hotch's explanation.

"There's been a new development." Hotch said cryptically.

"What the hell's that supposed to mean?" Morgan pressed.

"He's coming after me." Hotch informed his colleagues, unperterbed by the shocked looks from around the table. "We don't have much time."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Emily asked pointedly. She wasn't about to let Hotch get by with some secret coded answer that only he would understand.

JJ and Hotch exchanged a glance. Obviously Hotch had explained his plan in more detail to the blonde, because she seemed to be the only person in the room that _wasn't_ staring at Hotch as though he were mad.

"It means, that this UnSub believes JJ and I are a couple. And now, to get to her, he's going to have to go through me."

* * *

**_AN/See, I told you I wouldn't give up on this story. Let me know what you thought. _**


	11. Chapter 11

**_AN/ Thanks to SSBAILEY not only for her help on the chapter, (and overcoming my writers block) but for actually making me sit down and update this. I know, I know, it's short, but it was really the only place I could logically end it. Enjoy!_**

* * *

Chapter 11

The stunned looks from those circled around the table would have been comical in any other situation. Hotch paused to allow the others time to digest this information.

Reid's mouth gaped slightly, Morgan looked angry, Emily looked slightly more than shocked, Garcia was smirking like she knew something no one else did, but it was Rossi who finally spoke up. "It's a good plan. Make him think you're a couple and do something that would hurt her, it'll lure him out into the open and then we'll be able to catch him."

"It's too dangerous" Morgan argued, "What if he shoots Hotch? Or decides that it would just be easier to kidnap JJ instead?"

"That's not his MO" Reid dismissed, "He's going through the men that have hurt JJ one by one, he wouldn't just drop that plan now...even if it would be easier for him to just take JJ. He has to kill, it's a part of who he is now."

"Wouldn't he know how ridiculous this is? I mean, if he's been following JJ, he knows that she and Hotch work together. Don't you think he'd be suspicious that they all of the sudden get together?" Garcia asked over the intercom.

"Garcia's right." Emily agreed. "If JJ's the focus of his obsession, he's probably researched and followed everyone that's come in contact with her."

"Not necessarily." Rossi countered. "To be honest, he's probably glad for the distraction. He's devolving rapidly, and any excuse he can use to get close to JJ."

All eyes unconsciously turned to Morgan who looked contemplative for just a moment. JJ bit her lip, unsettled at being the focus of the team's collective brainstorming.

"Morgan?" Hotch prompted. "You're the obsessional crimes expert, what do you think?"

"I think that if this bastard thinks that there's a possibility of Hotch hurting JJ, it's enough to get him to act out. It could be our only chance to catch him." Morgan said cautiously.

"If that's true then there's only one thing that could possibly make him angry enough to lure him out in one day." Emily pointed out. "You're going to have to..."

"Make him think we've slept together" JJ butted in, "I know."

"And then the next morning Hotch will need to go outside and make a phone call where he pretends to have only wanted you for sex." Rossi finished, "We'll be watching the house and catch him when he tries to attack Hotch."

"I just hope this works." Hotch said grimly.

* * *

Incensed, he threw the glass he had been drinking against the wall. His JJ was holding hands with that--that--that moron. Didn't she know that she was his? That they belonged together.

Enraged, he couldn't even focus, could barely breath. Jennifer needed to be protected. She could only get hurt. Other people only wanted to hurt her. He had to protect her.

He had to take care of her.

He knew it.

It was time that she knew that she had someone to take care of her. Now he would just have to watch them and find the perfect way to get rid of Aaron Hotchner just like he had all the others.


	12. Chapter 12

**_AN/ Thanks to SSBAILEY , who mostly wrote this chapter--she's outstanding. And, SEE, I'm updating more quickly._**

* * *

Chapter 12

JJ awoke the next morning to the familiar sounds outside her childhood bedroom. For just a moment, she was able to reminisce about all of the positive experiences that seemed so vivid now that she was immersed with pictures from her childhood.

_Jenny frantically checked under her pillow--Johnny had promised her that the Tooth Fairy would come. Sure enough, two shiny quarters lay where her tooth had been. _

_Giddy, Jenny rushed from her room to show Johnny the quarters. Her big brother never lied to her--not like Josh always did. She didn't need the light harmony of notes to tell her that Johnny must be practicing his beloved piano._

_"Johnny! Guess what!" Jenny cried happily._

_"What's up JJ?" Johnny teased, using the nickname that she detested._

_Jenny could only glare at him for a moment before being reminded of the quarters in her hand. "The tooth fairy camed."_

_"Came." Johnny corrected gently._

_"Whatever." Jenny dismissed dramatically. "But I got two quarters! Just like you said you would."_

_"I told you JJ, I'd never lie to you." Johnny smiled brightly, "I'm your big brother, I'm here to protect you."_

JJ sighed as her eyes lingered over the family photo from her youth. She often wondered what Johnny would be like if he had made it into adulthood. But fate had been far more cruel.

"Johnny's gone JJ." She reminded herself while Hotch stirred next to her. It had been awkward between them the night before, but not as awkward as it would've been with any of the other guys on the team, and if she were honest she was glad Hotch was going through whatever this was with her.

"JJ, what are you mumbling about? Strauss isn't supposed to call for another half hour." Hotch spoke up sleepily. They had decided to use Strauss calling as a code which meant they weren't supposed to start the plan for another half hour, they had to wait for the team to be in place before Hotch could play his role.

"I know...just a bad dream is all" JJ lied, not wanting to tell him that she, even for a split second, had considered that her dead older brother might be behind this. Her brother had been gone for almost twenty years. She should be over this by now.

But it had always been hard knowing that her brother wasn't coming back.

* * *

"Agent Morgan" Josh Jareau began as he and his brother waited with Morgan and Reid at the local police station as the team was making final preparations for the mission. "About what you said before, if we remembered anyone always hanging around Jenny? Well we got to talking last night and we realized we forgot about someone."

"Who?" Morgan asked quickly, holstering his gun and putting on his vest. "You've got maybe two minutes to fill me in."

"When our brother Johnny was killed in that car accident, he wasn't alone. His best friend, Alex Spencer, was with him. Alex survived, barely, but Johnny didn't." Justin informed, "Well after Alex was released from the hospital Josh and I noticed him hanging out around places where Jenny was some, so we had a 'talk' with him about it, and he backed off. Until..."

"Until?" Morgan prodded.

"Until he disappeared the day Jenny went off to DC for college. She said she saw him in a diner near campus once, and then a few years later when she was living in New York. We all thought it was just a coincidence until I mentioned seeing his truck at the grocery store the day before Jenny came home this time."

"Why didn't you say anything sooner?" Morgan asked incredulously, his voice clipped tightly.

"Alex was never the same after the accident. He just kept hanging around--" Justin explained reasonably before being cut off by his younger brother.

"It wasn't right. He should have left us alone! It was his _fault!_" Josh snapped.

"So you told him to back off?" Morgan deduced, having a sickening feeling that the brothers may have distanced JJ's stalker enough to fuel his obsession.

"The way he was around Jenny, it was disgusting! It was wrong! He was ten years older than she is, and he was the reason Johnny's dead!" Josh exploded.

Justin silenced his younger brother with a single glare. Taking a deep breath, he tried to explain further, "He just needed to know he wasn't welcome. We made that clear to him."

"Very clear." Josh agreed.

_"That's what I'm afraid of." _Morgan thought as he nodded to show he understood. He couldn't fault the brother's of his coworker. He knew what it was like to want to protect a sister--but this insight into their possible UnSub might be just what they needed.


	13. Chapter 13

**_AN/ Alright, so we're winding down but I just have to say thanks for all of the reviews. Y'all are great. AND, I would NOT be updating all of these stories without SSBAILEY'S awesome help. She's a great writer and a good friend, and now...on with the show._**

Chapter 13

The time had come, and JJ sighed trying to fight the dread in her stomach. This didn't feel like it was a good idea, but they were running out of options, and she'd be damned if she'd allow Henry to grow up in a world of fear and dread. It was what she spent her whole life fighting for-making the world a safer place, one monster at a time. This plan had to work.

"Okay I'm headed outside, you ready?" Hotch asked as he loosely buttoned his shirt.

Sighing, JJ responded, "As I'll ever be, I guess."

Torn between reassuring her, and just getting on with the plan, Hotch nodded. "Okay then. See you when it's over."

* * *

"Sean I told you I could break her. All I had to do was pretend I was interested in spending time with her kid." Hotch said cockily into the phone. Honestly it made him almost sick to be talking about JJ this way, but it was the only way. He just hoped the team were watching closely. "She definitely wasn't the best I ever had though...no her sister-in-law was better."

He paused for a moment, hoping that the UnSub was listening, "Now I've got to find someone better."

* * *

Who did this Aaron Hotchner guy think he was talking about his Jenny like that? He'd show him. Grabbing the shovel out of the bed of his truck he snuck slowly through the neighbor's yard.

Sneaking over the small fence, he paused for just a moment. Aaron Hotchner was in sight, but memories from a foggy past overcame him.

_"C'mon, we've gotta go-I can't be late for curfew or my mom's gonna kill me." Johnny smiled brightly as he extracted himself from his girlfriend._

_"Aw-" Alex sighed before offering his own girlfriend a parting kiss. "Always the spoil sport." Alex smiled._

_"Shove it." Johnny laughed, grabbing the keys to his car. "Let's go."_

_"Whatever, man." Alex groaned, waving goodbye and following Johnny out of the home.  
_  
Shaking the blur of a memory from his head, he continued on towards his target. Creeping up behind the Agent slowly, he raised the shovel just as a large blur of a figure tackled him to the ground.

Grabbing the ID out of the UnSub's pockets, Morgan smirked. "Alex Spencer you're under arrest for the murders of Will LaMontage, Nina Gordon, and Brad Johnson, stalking a federal agent, and the attempted murder of a federal agent." He informed angrily, cuffing him from behind.

"Alex?" JJ asked in shock, bursting out of the bedroom where she had been waiting to offer Hotch back-up. "You-?"

Morgan cut off JJ's accusation with a slight nod as he led the other man away to the waiting police car.

"Don't worry JJ, we'll find out everything we need to know." Hotch assured, placing his arm comfortingly on JJ's shoulder.

"Hotch, he was Johnny's friend. I've known him forever-I just-I can't believe-" JJ's fingers trembled with the adrenaline coursing through her body.

With one look over his shoulder, Hotch wordlessly begged another member of his team to come and comfort the distraut coworker that he had grown closer to over the last few months. No assistance came, and Hotch sighed, preparing himself for the role as a supportive boss and friend. "JJ, it's going to be alright."

"Alright?" JJ scoffed. "How?"

"I don't know." Hotch replied honestly. "But I know that no matter what, you're not going to be alone. We'll all help you get through this." He promised, adding silently to himself, _I will help you get through this. I promise._


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Rossi entered the interrogation and sat across from the young man who stared ahead with dead eyes. This was the man who had made JJ's life a living nightmare, creating feelings of guilt that no person should have to live with, and endangering the life of her son.

Opening the large file in front of him, Dave pulled out photos of all of the UnSub's known victim's and spread them out in front of him. "Why did you do it Alex?"

"I had to protect Jenny." Alex admitted proudly, "All those men, they just wanted to hurt her. She needs someone who would take care of her, love her."

"Someone like you?"

"Yeah. Someone like me." Alex smirked, he only hoped Jenny was watching this so she could see how much he loved her.

"Why her?" Rossi asked, genuinely interested.

"Because she needed me." Alex insisted.

JJ shuddered behind the observation glass. Although her family had avoided contact with Alex and his family since the accident, she never would have thought him capable of this monstrosity.

Her father wrapped a protective arm around her waist. Once they heard the FBI had Alex in custody, her entire family had insisted on being able to witness his interrogation.

Hotch reluctantly entered the observation room, and the interrogation was momentarilly forgotten as JJ immediately picked up on his unease. "What's wrong Hotch?"

"Alex was processed, his prints were run through the system but we got a match on a DNA analysis we ran on a hair we found in Will's apartment." He hesitatingly began.

"You didn't tell me that you found a hair."

"The likelihood of us getting a DNA match was rare. I didn't want to get your hopes up on a false lead." Hotch explained.

"But why is that important? Alex was a match? Didn't we already know that he's the stalker?" Justin asked pointedly.

"The match was to Alex, but more importantly, it came up with another hit." Hotch explained as he handed JJ the file.

JJ skimmed the file and felt her heart drop as she saw the results and read the file again more closely. "No. No way, this can't be possible."

"What is it Jenny?" Her mother asked, seeing the way her daughter's face fell.

"The sample came back to me. A close male sibling." JJ explained as the others stared at her in shock. "Alex is my...our...brother." She turned back to the interrogation room where the younger man stared at the one-way mirror with dead eyes.

_"Hey Alex," Johnny threw the keys at his friend, "I'm feeling a little tired, you mind driving?"_

"I get to drive the jeep?" Alex smirked happily.

"Just don't scratch it." Johnny warned seriously. There were few things he revered as much as the car his parents helped him buy, and even if Alex was his best friend, his car would always be his first priority.

The drive back wasn't long, but Johnny was struggling to stay awake. Confident that he had made the right decision, he drifted off to a light sleep. The screeching of the tires and a sharp swerve startled him awake.

"Alex? What--" He jerked as his friend swerved to avoid hitting another deer in the road.

"Johnny, hold on." Alex swerved again, shocked as the jeep headed for an embankment. Trying to keep the car on the road, he spun the wheel, only to feel the inside tires lift and the car begin to tip.

Johnny cursed under his breath as he realized what was happening. Alex had overcorrected, and they would both be lucky to make it out of this alive.

"NO, no we buried my baby. That..that monster can't be my son." JJ's mother sobbed and she leaned into her husband's embrace.

"I'm so sorry Mama" JJ whispered apologetically, clutching the DNA results tightly in her hand. "It's not a lie, that's Johnny in that room."

"But if that's Johnny then who did we bury? Who's lying in my brother's grave?" Justin demanded angrily, but JJ could tell he wasn't angry and her, just the situation.

_The first responders grimaced as they took in the overturned jeep. Hoping it wasn't someone they knew, they quickly approached, ready to cut out the passangers._

"Isn't that Johnny Jareau's Jeep?" Dominic Price asked, having only been a few years older than Johnny, he knew the car well.

The others nodded resignedly. The Jareau's were a popular family, kind and good people that the entire community adored. This accident could rock them all. Quickly assessing the damage to the car, the men rushed to the driver's side door and yanked it open.

The two passengers were both mangled beyond recognition. Searching for a pulse, the lead shook his head sadly informing the others of the driver's death. Reaching across the seat to the passenger, he was surprised to find the other man had a weak, but thready pulse.

"We've got a live one." He announced. Barking orders to get the passenger out of the car.

"Who is it?" A younger man asked.

"Neither one had ID." Another man added.

"Well, it's Johnny's car. We all know there's no way in hell he would have let somebody else drive. I bet the other man is his buddy Alex."  
  
"My best guess would be the real Alex." JJ offered, her shoulders shaking as she tried to hold back the tears. "There must have been a mistake at the hospital, after they had they're wreck."

Knowing JJ wouldn't be able to hold it together much longer, Hotch pulled her to him. As soon as her head hit his chest the flood gates opened as she cried along with the rest of her family. "I'm so sorry JJ."


	15. Chapter 15: Epilogue

**_AN/So, here's the end. I know, it's short, but it's most definitely the end. A big shout-out goes to SSBAILEY--without her, I would never have finished this. I've also got to thank all of the readers who stuck through the story--you are all fantastic. I'd definitely like to know what you liked, and what you think I can improve on. Constructive Criticism is always helpful._**

**_I hope the explanation in this chapter is enough to satisfy what really happened. If not, let me know. It was supposed to be a big twist at the end of the last chapter, but I hope it at least made sense._**

**_Thanks for reading!_**

* * *

Six Months Later

Hotch paced as he waited for JJ's car to pull up. She had been determined to go and visit her brother in the medical facility the State had decided to keep him in. Due to the severe brain injuries he had sustained as a teenager, he had still been determined unfit for trial. Hotch had volunteered to watch Henry, attempting to do all he could to make this entire situation easier for her.

He sighed with relief as he finally saw the two bright headlights signalling JJ's return. Making his way towards the door, he placed a sleeping Henry in his playpen before opening the door to find an exhausted looking JJ fighting back tears. "JJ?" he whispered, opening his arms and pulling her close to him. "I'm so sorry JJ."

"It was awful. He still thinks he's Alex, still thinks he's in love with me and that killing is the only way to protect me." JJ sobbed as Hotch shut the door behind her and lead her into the living room to take a seat on the couch. "What if they let him out, Hotch? What if he comes after you or my parents or even Henry?"

"I won't let anything happen" Hotch vowed, holding her close until her tears finally began to subside. "I promise."

JJ felt utterly exhausted. Everything about this situation was taxing on her psyche. Her parents still refused to believe that this murderous monster was their son. Johnny recalled nothing of his life before the accident. The doctors had explained to her that the injury to his anterior parietal lobe that had caused swelling to his hippocampus--effectively wiping his memory.

"I just don't understand." She sighed eventually, aware that Hotch was watching her closely. Over the months that they had been together, she could feel his every move.

"Understand what?" He prodded after a moment.

"Why me? Why after all of these years, if he doesn't remember anything--why was he so--" She searched for the right word, unsure of what exactly described the torturous hell he had inflicted on her.

"Obsessed?" Hotch filled in for her, knowing even better than she did the psychological effects this ordeal had created.

"Yeah." She offered lamely. "He can't remember anything else--not my parents, not my brothers, not even his car. What makes me so special?" She asked rhetorically

"I don't have the answer to that" Hotch said sadly, "I don't think anyone does, not even your brother."

"I know." JJ agreed.

"But I do know one thing you brother is right about." He stated, moving his arm around her and pulling her close.

"Oh yeah? What's that?" She asked curiously.

"You are incredibly special." He said genuinely.

She smiled and turned towards him, kissing him gently. She may not understand the reasons for this catastrophe, but one thing was for certain. She was glad to have this man by her side.


End file.
